Purchase College–SUNY announced that alumni have played key roles in designing the highly acclaimed opening ceremony at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.
Purchase alumni Rob Bissinger ‘91 served as art director and Anita La Scala ‘05 was the assistant art director for the ceremony, a nearly three-hour extravaganza celebrating the history of Russia. It was viewed by a crowd of 40,000 in the stadium and billions on television worldwide.
Bissinger and La Scala were both graduates of the Purchase College Conservatory of Theatre Arts renowned Theatre Design/Technology program. Other Purchase alumni worked on the Olympics scenic design team for the opening ceremonies, as well:
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Jason Courson ’02 - Rendering and visualization, digital animation, 3D modeling, and drafting
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Evan Adamson ‘03 - Design Assistant, 3D modeling, and draftsman
Dan Sobel ‘03 - Project director for the staging, automation, and mechanical systems
“This involvement clearly demonstrates that Purchase College prepares people to work at the very apex of their fields,” said Dan Hanessian, associate professor of technical direction and production management. “The Purchase College community is very proud of their achievements on this grand stage.”
The Purchase alumni worked under artistic director/production designer George Tsypin at his studio in Queens, New York, then embarked to the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia. Design highlights of the opening ceremony including a glowing troika of horses and the iconic multi-colored onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral.
In addition to working on the opening ceremonies, many Purchase College alumni provided scenic design services for the NBC studios at the Olympics. Dan Hanessian ’90, a Purchase graduate as well as professor, served as technical designer.
The Purchase College Conservatory of Theatre Arts BFA program in Theatre Design/Technology emphasizes studio and classroom training under the guidance of established working professionals. More than 86 percent of theatre design/technology graduates are working in their chosen profession and many alumni have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors.
About Purchase College–SUNY
Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspirations for Purchase were to combine on one campus conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences. Today, Purchase College–SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu
